samual brohl & company(赛穆王·布洛公司)-第28章
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one corner of the carriage； 〃you can most assuredly boast of having
accomplished a marvellous work； but I beg of you； mademoiselle； when
you have finished your discourse； will you kindly say to the coachman that
I am ready to start？〃
During the drive； M。 Moriaz gave himself up to the most melancholy
reflections； he even tormented himself with sundry reproaches。 〃We have
acted contrary to good sense；〃 he thought。 〃Her imagination has been
taken by storm； in time it would have calmed down。 We should have left
her to herself； to her natural defenceher own good judgment； for she has
a large stock of it。 I fell on the unlucky idea of calling Mme。 de Lorcy to
my aid； and she has spoiled everything by her boasted /finesse/。 As soon as
Antoinette had reason to suspect that her choice was condemned by us；
and that we were plotting the enemy's destruction； the sympathy； mingled
with admiration； which she accorded to M。 Larinski； became transformed
into love； the fire smouldering beneath ashes leaped up into flames。 We
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neglected to count on that passion which is innate in women； and which
phrenologists call combativeness。 With her there is now a cause to be
gained； and； when love unites its interests with cards or with war； it
becomes irresistible。 Truly our campaign is greatly jeopardized； unless
Heaven or M。 Larinski interfere。〃
Thus reasoned M。 Moriaz； whom paternal misadventures and recent
experiences had rendered a better psychologist than he ever had been。
While busied with his reflections the carriage drove rapidly onward； and
thirty…five minutes sufficed to reach the little /maison de campagne/
occupied by Abbe Miollens。 He found him in his cabinet； installed in a
cushioned arm…chair embroidered by Mme。 de Lorcy； slowly sipping a cup
of excellent tea brought him by the missionaries from China。 On his left
was his violin…box； on his right his beloved Horace； Orelli's edition；
Zurich； 1844。
Conversation began。 As soon as M。 Moriaz had pronounced the name
of Count Larinski； the abbe assumed the charmed and contented
countenance of a dog lying in wait for its favourite game。
He exclaimed； 〃A most truly admirable man！〃
〃Mercy upon us！〃 thought M。 Moriaz。 〃Here we have an exordium
strangely similar to that of Mlle。 Moiseney。 Do they think to condemn me
to a state of perpetual admiration of their prodigy？ I fear there must be
some kinship of spirit between our friend the abbe and that crack…brained
woman； that he is cousin…german to her at least。〃
〃How grateful I am to you； my dear monsieur；〃 continued Abbe
Miollens； lying back in his chair； 〃for having given us the pleasure of the
acquaintance of this rare man！ It is you who sent him to us； to you belongs
the merit of having discovered him； or invented him； if you choose。〃
〃Oh！ I beg of you not to exaggerate；〃 humbly rejoined M。 Moriaz。 〃He
invented himself； I assure you。〃
〃At all events it was you who patronized him； who made him known
to us； without you the world never would have suspected the existence of
this superb genius； this noble character； who was hidden from sight like
the violet in the grass。〃
〃He is unquestionably her cousin…german；〃 thought M。 Moriaz。
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〃Only think；〃 continued the abbe； 〃I have found M。 Larinski all over
again in Horace！ Yes； Horace has represented him； trait for trait； in the
person of Lollius。 You know Marcus Lollius； to whom he addressed Ode
ix。 of book iv。； and who was consul in the year 733 after the foundation of
Rome。 The resemblance is striking； pay attention！〃
Depositing his cup on the table he took the book in his right hand； and
placing the forefinger of his left by turns on his lips or complacently
following with it the lines of especial beauty in the text； he exclaimed：
〃Now what do you say to this？ 'Thy soul is wise；' wrote Horace to Lollius；
'and resists with the same constancy the temptations of happiness as those
of adversity/est animus tibi et secundis temporibus dubiisque rectus/。' Is
not this Count Larinski？ Listen further： 'Lollius detested fraud and
cupidity； he despised money which seduces most men/abstinens ducentis
ad se cuncta pecuniae/。' This trait is very striking； I find even； between
ourselves； that our dear count despises money entirely too much； he turns
from it in horror； its very name is odious to him； he is an Epictetus； he is a
Diogenes； he is an anchorite of ancient times who would live happily in a
Thebaid。 He told us himself that it made little difference to him whether he
dined on a piece of bread and a glass of water； or in luxury at the Caf*
Anglais。 But I have not finished。 'Happy be those；' exclaimed Horace；
'who know how to suffer uncomplainingly the hardships of poverty/qui
duram que callet pauperiem pati/！' Of whom does he speakof Lollius； or
of our friend； who not only endures his poverty but who loves it； cherishes
it as a lover adores his mistress？ And the final trait； what to you think of it？
Lollius was always ready to die for his country'/non ille pro patria
timidus perire/。' In good faith； is it not curious？ Does it not seem as though
Horace had known Count Larinski at Rome or at Tibur？〃
〃I do not doubt it for an instant；〃 replied M。 Moriaz； taking the book
from the hands of Abbe Miollens and placing it respectfully on the table。
〃Luckily； our friend Larinski； as you call him； fell upon the excellent idea
of resuscitating himself some thirty years ago； which procured for us the
great joy of meeting him at Saint Moritz； and while we are on the subject
My dear abbe； have you a free； impartial mind？ Can you listen to me？ I
have a question to propound； an elucidation to demand。 It is not only the
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friend to whom I address myself； it is the confessor； the director of
consciences； the man of the whole universe in whose discretion I place
most reliance。〃
〃I am all ears；〃 responded the abbe； crossing the shapely legs in which
he took no little pride。
M。 Moriaz entered at once into the subject that troubled him。 It was
some moments before Abbe Miollens divined whither he was tending。 As
soon as he had grasped a ray of light； his face contracted； and uncrossing
his limbs； he cried： 〃Ah； what a misfortune！ You will have to renounce
your delightful dream； my dear Monsieur； and； believe me； no one can be
more grieved than I。 I fully comprehend with what joy you would have
seen your charming daughter consecrate； I will not say her fortune； for you
know as well as I how little Count Larinski would care for that； but
consecrate； I say； her graces； her beauty； and all the qualities of her angelic
character to the happiness of a man of rare merit who has been cruelly
scourged by Providence。 She loves him； she is loved by him； Heaven
would have blest their union。 Ah； what a misfortune！ I must repeat it； this
marriage is impossible； our friend is already married。〃
〃You are sure of it？〃 cried M。 Moriaz； in a burst of enthusiasm that the
good abbe mistook for an access of despair。
〃I scarcely can pardon myself for causing you this pain。 You ask if I
am sure of it！ I have it from our friend himself。 One evening； apropos of I
scarcely remember what； it occurred to me to ask if he were married； and
he replied； briefly： 'I thought I had told you so。' Ah！ my dear professor； it
were needless to discuss whether such a marriage would be a happy one；
for it never can take place。〃
〃Well； now we have something positive；〃 M。 Moriaz hastened to
observe； 〃and there is nothing to do but yield to evidence。〃
〃Alas！ yes；〃 rejoined the abbe； and； then； after a pause； during which
he wore a reflective air； he added； 〃However〃
〃There is no 'however；' M。 l'Abbe。 Believe me； your word suffices。〃
〃But I might possibly have misunderstood。〃
〃I have entire confidence in your earsthey are excellent。〃
〃But pray allow me to observe that it is never worth while to despair
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too soon。 Do you know what？ Count Larinski came recently to see me
without finding me at home。 I owe him a farewell visit。 To…morrow
morning； I promise you； I will call on him。〃
〃For what purpose？〃 interrupted M。 Moriaz。 〃I thank you a thousand
times for your kindly intentions； but God forbid that I should uselessly
interfere with your daily pursuits； your time is too precious！ I declare
myself completely edified。 I consider the proof firmly established； there is
no further doubt。〃
As Madame de Lorcy had remarked； Abbe Miollens was not one to
easily relax his hold upon an idea he had once deemed good。 In vain M。
Moriaz combated his proposition； bestowing secret maledictions on his
excess of zeal； the abbe would not give up； and M。 Moriaz was forced to
be resigned。 It was agreed that the next day the worthy man should call on
Count Larinski； and that from Paris he should repair to Cormeilles； in
order to communicate to the proper person the result of his mission。 M。
Moriaz perceived the advantage of having Antoinette learn from the abbe's
own lips the fatal truth； and he did not leave without impressing upon him
to be very circumspect； as prudent as a serpent； as discreet as a father
confessor。 He started for home with quite a contented mind； seeing the
future lie smoothly and pleasantly before him； and it really seemed to him
that the drive from Maisons to Cormeilles was a much shorter and more
agreeable one than that from
